The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-04-09
to pay. Neither would any human
being find fault with positive pro-
hibition of the system Of transpor-

1
hibition of the system of transpor-
tation. Provided that every one
knew that his neighbor paid as we'll
as himself, none would find fault.
have, therefore, done the little l
could to get the railroads to seize
this great opportunity to get rid of
an abuse, the magnitude Of which
few people realize. Unfortunately,
loop-hole for escape is left open,
and l fear that the railroads, une-
quail to the occasion. will avail
themselves of it. The law applies
only to travel between the states.
Travel limited to any single state is
noN affected by it. 1t is in the
power, therefore, of railroad corpo-
rations operating lines between
states and territories to issue any
number of passes they see fit, pro-
vided only that they read "good
between points in such and such a
state, or in such and such a terrific
ry." 1t is a mean and contempti-
ble evasion. Nevertheless, it is a
legal evasion, anl | have small
hope that the railroad companies
will have the wisdom not to avail
themselves of it.
Thus, so far rs two of the three
great features of this law is con-
cerned, have found little in it to
criticise. | come now to the third
feature-the prohibition of pooling.
And in this respect the law seems
to me to be radically bad. Why,
gentlemen, what is railroad pool
ing? 1t is simply check, and not
very effective one, which is put
upon the great law of the survival
of the fittest. Under the workings
of an unrestrained competition the
weaker is Systematically driven to
the wall. When, in the case of
railroads, the driving-to-the-wall
process Of destruction has been
carried far enough, the weaker is
absorbed by these methods with
which we are SO very familiar into
the strong. The stronger assimi-
lates the weaker; he makes it a
part of himself; the lamb lies down
inside of the lion. What is this
but pooling in its final shape? That
is, the pool here consists of all the
parties united into one whole, not
now weak whole, in which the law
of competition has a certain effect,
as under our pooling organizations,
but in one consolidated, combined
whole, subject to one law, and
freed entirely from competition. In
inserting this anti-pooling clause,
the trainers of the interstate COM
merce act have done the very thing
which they meant not to do. In
stead of insuring competition they
insure consolidation. This is just
as inevitable as fate-it was clearly
pointed out to them, yet they could
not take the fact in, and SO they
allowed a cant phrase to supply
the place of common sense. So
far as its prohibition of pooling is
concerned, the act shOld have been
entitled, "An act to bring about the
largest combination of railroads in
the shortest possible time" With
this view l do not think the rail
road corporations at least should
find fault. Whether the country
itself is prepared to find itself face
to face with the issue it is thus
forcing prematurely on, is entirely
another question. But | think it
will not be long before we shall
have another illustration of the
fact that, though the legislature
may propose the laws of trade dis
pose.